Hatred Can Be a Painful Thing
by U-Madder
Summary: Wreck-It Ralph AU. Taffyta Muttonfudge is emotionally and psychically restrained thanks to an un-forgiving Vanellope Von Schweetz, who just can't seem to forget her past fifteen years with with the girl who had made her life like hell on Earth.
1. I Will Never Forget What You Did To Me

**Summary: Wreck-It Ralph AU. Taffyta Muttonfudge is emotionally and psychically restrained thanks to an un-forgiving Vanellope Von Schweetz, who just can't seem to forget her past fifteen years with with the girl who had made her life like hell on Earth.**

**A/N: OK, a few things to say here. Vanellope's completely OOC on purpose. It's to fit into the story, but she'll return to her normal self as the story progresses. Don't worry. And, something else. I'm not against Vanellope. I ABSOLUTELY ADORE HER! But, as I said, it's all to fit in with the story. So please, I don't want any complaints about anything to do with that. Thank you. :-)**

**I guess you could say this is kind of my Wreck-It Ralph story, since I've been busy with other things these past few months. But for the day before the new year, I guess I wanted to post one last thing that said 2013 on it, so yeah. :-)**

**Anyway, let's get on with the story!**

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**Hatred Can Be a Painful Thing**

**Chapter One**

**I Will Never Forget What You Did To Me**

Taffyta Muttonfudge never expected that her life would turn out like this. Just one month ago, she was the spotlight, the star of the show; _everyone_ wanted to be like _her, _no, everyone wanted to _be_ her. She was the popular girl, the cream of the crop and she was King Candy's favorite.

King Candy...what was it about him that Taffyta never wanted to except? Was it that he was really a moronic young man who had game jumped over twenty times in an attempt to take over a game? Was it that he had hacked into Sugar Rush with terrible intentions? Was it that he never cared about anyone except himself?

He never cared about anyone except himself...Taffyta couldn't believe that was true. King Candy loved her like the daughter he never had. _She_ was special. He loved her more then the others. _He_ cared about her. She couldn't except the fact that he never cared about anyone else. He did care about someone. _Her_.

But that was all in the past. And now? Taffyta's life had completely changed around. And it wasn't for the better, either. No longer was she the popular girl who everyone adored. No longer did everyone want to be her. No longer was King Candy alive...and Vanellope Von Schweetz had taken it all away from her.

Vanellope, although teasing about her execution joke, made no pull-backs straight after Ralph, Felix and Calhoun had left for their own games. She had let the others off the hook. But Taffyta? No, she wanted Taffyta to learn her lesson for what she had done to her for fifteen years.

Taffyta had tried to reason with her. She _had_ tried to explain that her memories had been locked up, and that she wasn't aware of what she was doing. Vanellope didn't listen to a word that she had said. Angrily, she had demanded that Taffyta would be locked up in the Fungeon for internal torture, keeping her emotionally and psychically restrained from contacting with anyone.

Taffya couldn't keep her emotions in. All she ever seemed to do was cry, cry and cry. Mascara was literally stained onto her cheeks from Taffyta crying so much. Crying about how her previous life was so wonderful in comparison to what she had to do now, crying about how King Candy, the man that actually loved her, was dead, crying about how Vanellope was too selfish and arrogant to forget her past.

Candlehead, her best friend, was a frequent visitor in Taffyta's cell. She often brought her items that she thought would comfort the now socially inept girl. Taffya loved Candlehead so much, especially now for caring so much about her. She would of thought by now that Vanellope would of taken her best friend away from her, too, but clearly that wasn't the case. Yet.

"Taff," The green haired cupcake-hatted girl patted Taffyta on the back comfortingly as Taffyta cried into her chest, "S'all right...you'll be fine...I'm sure of it..." Taffyta respected the fact that Candlehead was trying to calm her down and reassure her, but her best friend wasn't the type of girl to sympathize so easily. She found it difficult, and Taffyta was aware of it.

Taffyta looked up at her friend and nodded her head. All of her make-up was completely smudged and the brown roots of her bleached blond hair were beginning to show because she hadn't dyed it for two weeks. Her clothes were worn out and torn and overall, it looked like she had gone through a large stage of depression. Candlehead was shocked by this and even seemed a little scared at how different Taffyta looked.

A creak of the metal door was heard. Duncan's face popped through the frame, a pretzel key in his hand, "Candlehead," He straightened his sunglasses and cap, "Your time with Ms Muttonfudge is up. Please say your goodbyes."

Candlehead thought for a moment; she may of been an idiot, but she was no-where near stupid; people took advantage of her because of this. Even Taffyta in the past at times, "But I didn't have one hour with her! You said-"

"I know what I said, Candlehead. But the President wants a couple of words with Taffyta, and to do so, wants you to leave."

Candlehead understood. She hugged Taffyta tightly. Taffyta hugged her back, whimpering with fear. What the heck did Vanellope have to say? Candlehead gently caressed her dirty blond hair, whispering sweet things in her ear. They were like this for about a minute, before Duncan forced Candlehead out.

"Bye." Candlehead said softly, before shutting the door behind her.

Taffyta was once again in silence, completely alone once more. This was what things were like for her normally. Her contact with others was limited, and even then she had grown to become socially inept, not wanting to talk to anyone anymore.

She waited for Vanellope almost _too_ patiently, twiddling her fingers nervously, paranoid to know her future. She waited a couple of minutes in utter silence, apart from her muffled whimpering. She placed a hand on her make-up stained cheek, feeling the wetness of her face. When she took her hand away from her face, her hand too was stained with different assortments of colors.

"Taffyta?" Taffyta looked up, immediately recognizing the voice. Vanellope. She had a blank expression on her face. She looked as if she wanted to have nothing to do with Taffyta whatsoever. She wore her teal racing jumpsuit, racing goggles and helmet, giving Taffyta the impression that she had came straight from racing to talk to Taffyta in the Fungeon.

Things were very awkward between the two girls. Taffyta reluctantly nodded her head, not wanting to talk to the girl who had made life like hell for her. Why should she? Vanellope didn't want to forgive her for what she had done. She had forgiven the others, why not Taffyta?

Vanellope went into the cell and closed the door behind her, clutching a similar key to what Duncan held. Taffyta reckoned it was probably the same key. There was only so many duplicate keys in the castle, and Taffyta thought that they would only make one key for every cell to reduce the risk of a prisoner getting hold of a duplicate to break themselves free. That was Taffyta's original plan of escape, but she had learn this the hard way.

The black haired President made her way over to Taffyta, still expressionless, "I wanna give a little talk to you." Without waiting for a reply from Taffyta, she continued, "It's about your sentencing." Taffyta thought Vanellope didn't know what such words meant, but a lot had changed in a month. Including Vanellope.

Taffyta clenched her fists together, desperately wanting to attack Vanellope for what she had just said, "Sentencing?! I ain't done anything wrong?! Thanks for ruining my life, you glitch..." She mumbled the last part to herself, but Vanellope still heard her.

Vanellope was about to loose her temper, "Glitch?! GLITCH?!" And with that, she glitched slightly. Vanellope sometimes still glitched whenever she was angry or sad. It was both in this situation, "_Me_ ruining _your_ life? Pfft, don't you remember what you did to me?!"

Taffyta attempted to break free from the chain attached to her leg in anger, but it was no use, "It wasn't my fault, was it?! Stop living in the past and just let me go! How would you like it if I locked you up in this scary room, day in and day out!?"

Vanellope shook with annoyance, continuously glitching, "You. Deserve. It," She said sharply, her hazel eyes no-longer sweet and innocent. She looked like she wanted to reach out and strangle Taffyta. She was tempted too. But she didn't, "Just realize what you've done to upset me. Realize that I'm right and you're wrong. Realize that-"

"I get it," Taffyta said bluntly, "Just continue to turn yourself into a selfish, non-caring monster. I don't care. Just realize that _I'm_ right and _you're_ wrong. And you know it. Deep down, you know it-"

"SHUT UP!" Vanellope silenced Taffyta, putting a hand over her mouth, "You know that guy, King Candy? Yeah, he didn't love you! He's the selfish, non-caring monster! Not me! I'm giving you what you deserve! SO STOP CORRECTING ME!" And with that, she slapped Taffyta.

"Your highness," Sour Bill opened the prison door with another key, a concerned expression playing on his face as he saw a bright red Vanellope standing over a weeping Taffyta, "I heard shouting down the corridor. And...I'd think it best if you left Taffyta..."

Vanellope rolled her eyes and walked towards the exit, the red in her face now dying down. Sour Bill scooted along the corridor, leaving Vanellope alone with Taffyta once more for a short moment.

She turned back and glanced at the painfully suffering girl, anger still twisted in her face, "And in case you're wondering; I'll never let you go. I'm plainly giving you all you deserve. And..." She trailed off for a moment, lightening up her tone of voice only by slight, "I will _never_ forget what you did to me." And with that, she slammed the cell door behind her, leaving Taffyta to cry painfully to herself in the darkness.

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**A/N: Nothing to say here apart from review! Thanks for reading my comeback story for the new year :-)**


	2. An Idea of a Talk

**Summary: Wreck-It Ralph AU. Taffyta Muttonfudge is emotionally and psychically restrained thanks to an un-forgiving Vanellope Von Schweetz, who just can't seem to forget her past fifteen years with with the girl who had made her life like hell on Earth.**

**A/N: Thanks so much for reviewing! I didn't expect so many reviews, honestly! I didn't. I said to myself 'if I get 4 or more reviews, I'll update.' Well I've got 5, so that's more then expected for me! Thank you all so much!**

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**Hatred Can Be a Painful Thing**

**Chapter Two**

**An Idea of a Talk**

Taffyta sat on her pink wafer bed, bored out of her mind. Her face rested on her little balled fists, shaking her head gently. It had been several hours since Vanellope had shouted and slightly abused her. Taffyta hadn't really recovered from the incident, but she had stopped crying hours ago, and was now thinking about what had happened.

Vanellope was stupid. Selfish, to be exact. Only thinking of herself and _her_ needs, not thinking about how much pain she had put Taffyta through, and what she was planning to do. Why couldn't she just forgive Taffyta? Why couldn't she just let bygones be bygones and put the past behind her? Why couldn't she just release her from prison? Taffyta wished that would all happen.

But _no_; Vanellope had to prove something to the world, didn't she? She just _had_ to be a jerk and lock Taffyta up for internal torture. Why couldn't she of just forgiven Taffyta like she had done so with the others? Yes, Taffyta did agree with in some aspects, like the fact that she severely bullied her. But that wasn't her fault! It was...

As much as Taffyta never wanted to admit it, it was King Candy's fault. But she only considered that because there was no-one else to blame. However Taffyta would _never_ say that out loud to anyone else. She loved him and he loved her. _She_ had been special to him. _She_ stuck out from the rest. _She_ was the king's favorite, and even if he _had_ locked up her memories, as well as everyone else, of Vanellope being the rightful ruler of Sugar Rush, who cared exactly? Who even cared?

The more she thought about what had happened to her, Vanellope and King Candy, the more she felt pain in her chest; it was if her heart had shattered into a million pieces and couldn't be put back together. Tears began to form in her eyes once again. The more she reminded herself about everything, the more depressed she felt.

Taffyta sniffled gently, wiping her tearful blue eyes. She hated it in the Fungeon. She wanted and needed to leave. She was scared, hungry, tired, depressed and needed to get out of the Fungeon. She didn't want Candlehead to get a new best friend. Candlehead couldn't live without her! She just didn't want her life to change...she needed to break out before her life changed entirely, making it virtually impossible for her to change it back.

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Vanellope sat on her kart-throne, now wearing her normal attire. She ran her fingers through her hair, her head in her hands. Being the President was difficult, tiring, pressurizing. She needed to deal with many situations, as pointless as they may of been.

Dealing with Taffyta in the way she had done was the most suitable way she could think of. She couldn't talk to her like she was a friend, no. She needed to treat her in the way that her enemy had treated her; an eye for an eye, as some people said. Vanellope believed this was very true.

She understood the kind of pain that she was putting Taffyta through, but she was only doing it to make her suffer in the way that she had done. Taffyta was, after all, the ring leader of her little _gang_. She was the bitch, the manipulative selfish one. The non-caring monster. She was only talking about herself, no-one else.

"Your highness," Sour Bill tapped Vanellope on the shoulder, "If I may-"

"It's _President_, Bill. Not _your highness_. _President_." Vanellope snapped, interrupting Sour Bill. She shot a death glance at him. She didn't want to be disturbed by her adviser.

"My sincere apologies, Ms _President_," Sour Bill corrected himself before his ruler would get even more annoyed with him then she already was, "I'm just wondering about Taffyta's-"

"Sentencing?" Vanellope gritted her teeth, faking a smile at Sour Bill, "Yeah, just do it. I don't want to see that...that _glitch_ anymore! Just sentence her already! JUST KEEP HER IN THERE UNTIL HER CODE ROTS! JUST KEEP HER IN THERE, BILL! I DON'T WANT HER OUT OF THERE FOR FIFTY YEARS!"

Vanellope felt psychologically disturbed; she couldn't handle herself anymore. She was still fun-loving, yes, but it seemed like becoming the rightful ruler of her kingdom was an emotional toll on her. It was if...she couldn't cope with being ruler, although she would never say it out loud.

Sour Bill nodded his head and gulped nervously, "As you wish, your highness." He was about to walk away when Vanellope said once last sentence to him before he left the throne room.

"And Bill...? It's PRESIDENT!"

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Taffya felt shaky, like a leaf on an Autumnal day, but much less relaxed and more terrified. She tried to gather her thoughts together and compose herself, but she had no luck. She knew it was impossible to break out of the Fungeon. There were Oreo Guards all around. And, even if she did get hold of another cell key, she wouldn't exactly get very far. That castle was crawling with guards, especially when a prisoner was there.

But she felt like she was about to go insane if she stayed in that claustrophobic cell any longer. She tugged at her now dirty blond hair in anger, pulling it very hard. She needed to get out before she herself went completely bonkers. But how would she do it?

Thinking about all of this only made Taffyta feel even worse then she already was previously. It only made her doubt herself and not believe in herself and what she was capable of. She felt like it was no-use; she'd never get out of there. Even if she gave Vanellope all of her money and belongings. She'd never race, either. She would never be a playable character ever again if she didn't get out soon.

"Taffyta?" Taffyta departed from her thoughts as she looked over to the now open prison door. It was Sour Bill. What did he want? "I've come to tell you that-"

Taffyta seemed to take things the wrong way then what Sour Bill had intended, "What?! That I can finally get outta' here?! Please, please, please! You don't know how horrible it is in here! Please, tell me that I can get outta' here after two whole weeks!"

Sour Bill sighed deeply, "No, Ms Muttonfudge. It's about...your sentencing," Taffyta shot a furious look at Sour Bill, who gulped nervously at the look that the girl before her was giving her, "Yes, the idea of sentencing you hasn't been forgotten-"

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Taffyta screamed in anger and frustration, yanking her metal chains vigorously. She tried to approach Sour Bill, but was pulled back by her chains, limiting her walking distance by a ton, "I AIN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME! I WAS THE KING'S FAVORITE! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!"

Sour Bill backed away slightly, "Um...well," He didn't know how to respond to that. He was worried that he would only make Taffyta more angry then she already was. Just like Vanellope. God, he really didn't understand girls. Why couldn't he be dealing with male racers instead? They were all much simpler to understand, even if there _was_ only three boys in the land of Sugar Rush.

"I'm afraid what's been done is what's been done," Winchell and Duncan walked into the room, keeping their distance from Taffyta. They had heard Taffyta screaming from down the corridor and needed to guard Sour Bill. He was, after all, the second most important figure in the kingdom, next to Vanellope. It was Winchell who had spoken, "And we can't change it. You're being sentenced, President's orders."

Duncan continued his partner's words of reasoning, hoping it would make Taffyta think a little different about everything that was about to happen. "Wanna get out? You're gonna have to try an' convince the President. But it won't be easy. She's clearly made her decision. I'm sorry, Taffyta, but there's kind of nothing else we can do. We're not to happy about what the President's doing to you either, but we can't say anything or do anything. She's got full control over all of us. She's a complete control freak!"

But that backfired completely. It only gave Taffyta an idea. An idea that she thought, for once, would actually work.

Taffyta lowered her head, her blue eyes burning with hate and revenge, boiling with anger, "Well maybe I'll just have to have a _little_ talk with her, then...won't I?"

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**A/N: OK, so review! There's nothing else to say apart from...well, tell me what you thought and what I can improve on! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Break-Out

**Summary: Wreck-It Ralph AU. Taffyta Muttonfudge is emotionally and psychically restrained thanks to an un-forgiving Vanellope Von Schweetz, who just can't seem to forget her past fifteen years with with the girl who had made her life like hell on Earth.**

**A/N: Thank you all so much for reviewing! You've all really helped me to carry on with this story because I was originally going to scrap it, but I'm not now, if some people like it. This chapter kind of sucks, so I'm sorry. **

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**Hatred Can Be a Painful Thing**

**Chapter Three**

**Break-Out**

Winchell and Duncan reluctantly nodded their heads at Taffyta's surprising suggestion, not saying a word to each other as they approached the twelve year-old and un-locked her chain, replacing it with a pair of handcuffs. Winchell held onto her tightly to make sure she wouldn't make a run for it, in case this was only a plan of escape and nothing more. But it wasn't. Taffyta hadn't even considered the fact of escaping when she had thought of that plan a mere ten seconds ago.

Sour Bill looked a little shocked at what the two police officers were doing; they were actually listening to her?! Then again, Duncan had stated that all three of them were against Vanellope's new and antagonistic ideas. Maybe, just maybe, they were only doing this because of that. If they had thought otherwise about Vanellope's views about Taffyta, they probably wouldn't of listened to what Taffyta had asked. But they didn't, and they were listening.

The four were silent as they walked out of the cell and down the corridor. Oreo Guards looked over in suspicion, but didn't say anything; they assumed that they Sour Bill, Winchell and Duncan were taking Taffyta to her sentencing in the court room just seconds away from where they were. If it was otherwise they would have stopped the four, but they had got lucky that day.

They walked up the marvelous pink stairs which lead into the throne room, Winchell still having a full grip on Taffyta without hurting her. Taffyta looked down at the pink chocolate floor and breathed deeply; the exact shade of pink of her theme. That color reminded Taffyta of a lot of things that had happened to her prior to her arrest. This only upset Taffyta even more, but she wasn't about to doubt herself now, because she was now in the throne room.

"President Vanellope," Sour Bill ran over to Vanellope, who was still sitting on her throne, staring into nothing, "Um...w-we brought Taffyta here-"

"I DON'T CARE! I TOLD YOU THAT I DON'T WANT HER OUT OF THAT CELL FOR FIFTY YEARS! I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT ANY OF YOU! PLEASE, JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Vanellope screamed, thrashing her fists into mid air. Tears began to form in her eyes as she placed a hand of her face, "I-I...can't...please...just take her away..."

"No," Taffyta spoke up, still in Winchell's firm grip. She had a painful expression on her face, "No, I'm not going anywhere, _Princess_ Vanellope Von Schweetz. And you know what else? I'm not going back in that cell again. You can do what ever you want, but I'm never going back there ever again. And it's just too bad if you're going to look at my face, isn't it? It's just too bad. Because I'm not going back into that cell."

Vanellope stared violently at her, her fists clenched together, "Yes. You. Are. And you can't tell me otherwise, _Muttonfudge,_" She got up from her throne and walked towards Taffyta. Sour Bill nervously followed on behind, now fanning Vanellope with a lightweight lollipop, "And do _you_ know what else? I don't care how much you're suffering in that place. You deserve to suffer in the same way I did. For fifteen years. Yes, that's right, fifteen years-"

"Look, I'm sorry, alright! I'M SORRY!" Taffyta collapsed on the floor, begging Vanellope at her knees. She began to cry, the already stained mascara from her cheeks running down her face once more, "I'm sorry I made your life like hell! I'm sorry I did all that stuff to you! I'M SORRY VANELLOPE! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I CAN'T TAKE IT IN THERE ANYMORE!"

Taffyta felt like she was going insane from not having her freedom, from not being able to race, from being captivated in a cell. She couldn't handle herself anymore, and if Vanellope didn't have the heart to know how she felt, then she didn't know what she'd do.

Vanellope grabbed hold of the dirty blond's hand-cuffed wrists, "It's too late, Muttonfudge. It's too late," She said darkly, now crying herself, "You had your chance. You blew it. That's that. And I'm never changing my mind. So no. You're not sorry. You just want to get out, that's all. Well I'm sorry, Taffyta, but I'm never letting you out of there. Not until you realize how much I suffered for fifteen years."

Taffyta gritted her teeth in upset; she snarled violently at Vanellope, shaking tremendously. She needed to escape from the castle. That was her only way to freedom. Vanellope would never let her go now. And Taffyta certainly wasn't going to rot in a cell for fifteen or fifty or however many years. She was going to escape herself. And she was going to do it now.

Quickly, she brought herself up from her knees and began to run. She ran faster then she had ever done before. Vanellope screamed out after her, getting into her kart which was parked beside her other kart; the snowball one. The one she never used, "GET HER! I WON'T LET YOU ESCAPE! I CAN'T LET YOU ESCAPE!"

Winchell and Duncan ran after the escaping girl as fast as their short, stubby legs would carry then, Vanellope driving on from behind. Taffyta needed to escape. And fast. It would only be seconds before Vanellope would realize that she could glitch in front of Taffyta and stop her in her tracks, so she needed to act fast.

She ran through the pink wall, breaking through the bricks. She collapsed onto the floor, but didn't rest, although her knees were now all grazed and she began to shake. When brought herself up on her feet, she clutched her right arm in pain; was it broken? Had she broken it from that jump? Who cared, she needed to get out of there before she was caught and brought back into the castle. And her arm would regenerate back to full health soon, too.

Without any hesitation, she she began to run once more, not looking back behind her and ignoring the now intense pain her arm. She had to escape completely from the grasp of Vanellope, from Winchell and Duncan, from Sour Bill, from the Oreo Guards, all of them. Tears were now pouring down her face, her blue eyes glazed like before. She couldn't stay in that Fungeon any longer, but she didn't know where exactly she was going to go. Somewhere far, far away from there she hoped.

The rumble of Vanellope's kart was not far behind her now. This worried Taffyta. Her heart was beating faster then it was when she had began to run. She ran off the road and disguised herself among the surrounding candies in the area, hoping that Vanellope and the others would over-see her and her camouflage strategy.

Fortunately, for Taffyta, Vanellope had over-seen the possibility of Taffyta running off the track and had driven straight past Taffyta. Taffyta breathed a deep sigh of relief, a mix of sweat and tears pouring down her face. She had escaped. Finally, after two weeks of suffering in Vanellope's Fungeon, she had escaped.

But now what would she do? She had to stay hidden. She couldn't race even now she had got out. She couldn't even show her face to anyone. There was a high possibility that they were on Vanellope's side, or at least forced to be. And her arm was stinging. She hissed in pain, clutching it in her left arm. There was only one problem now with her escape that she hadn't thought out, and now that problem was about to begin, with Taffyta just about to realize it.

She grabbed hold of a long strip of pink, glittery taffy and tied it into a loop. She put it over her shoulder and put her right arm into it, acting as a temporary support system for her weakened, or as a sling. That fall had really effected her, but she was better off outside of the castle with a potentially broken arm then still inside the cell. Her arm would regenerate soon anyway, so she didn't need to worry about anything.

Slowly, she walked into the candy-cane forest, beginning to think things over. She walked steadily and slowly, thinking intensely about different aspects of her unique life-experiences. About her life before her arrest, currently speaking and where it was headed. She worried specifically about what was going to come. She, once Vanellope would find her, would surely be locked up for years on end because of her first escape. She couldn't be seen. By anyone. Not now, not ever.

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**A/N: I guess this kind of sucked...it's not really how I planned it in my head, so I'm sorry again. But again, I thank you all for reading and reviewing and keeping my spirits for this story up!**


	4. Teaming Up With Candlehead Again

**Summary: Wreck-It Ralph AU. Taffyta Muttonfudge is emotionally and psychically restrained thanks to an un-forgiving Vanellope Von Schweetz, who just can't seem to forget her past fifteen years with with the girl who had made her life like hell on Earth.**

**A/N: I know I don't normally reply to reviews, but AmberStone 12 actually said something which is going to happen in the future, and it kind of occurs in this chapter at first. So well done for that! I salute you! :-)**

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**Hatred Can Be a Painful Thing**

**Chapter Four**

**Teaming Up With Candlehead Again**

Vanellope, meanwhile, was still driving on the road, absolutely fuming with her guards, who were now driving their motorbikes close to her kart in an attempt to speed things up. She had been driving for ten minutes or so, and still couldn't find Taffyta anywhere. It was all her guards fault. She specifically blamed them for allowing Taffyta to escape. No-one escaped from her Fungeon, especially not Taffyta Muttonfudge.

She came to a halt, stopping her kart in her tracks. Winchell and Duncan parked their motorbikes behind her, concerned looks on their faces. They looked at each other nervously as Vanellope shot them a threatening look. She was clearly displeased. Sour Bill backed down behind Duncan in fear.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" She screamed, standing up on hr kart, before attempting to calm herself down a little, "Find her. Find that...that _glitch_," Vanellope couldn't think of any other word to describe her. That's how Taffyta described her, so that was how she was going to describe Taffyta, "Get her back in that Fungeon where she belongs RIGHT NOW!"

Winchell and Duncan turned their motorbikes around and drove away, leaving Vanellope to try and compose herself. Her head was in her hands. What would she do? She was so pressurized. She couldn't handle this anymore. Everyone relied on her. She couldn't handle herself. She couldn't even recognize herself anymore. What monster was she turning into? She had called Taffyta a glitch for at least the tenth time after she had regained her title as rightful ruler over two weeks ago. Vanellope had completely lost it, and she was just growing to realize this.

But Taffyta needed to suffer in the same way as she had done. Vanellope didn't have her freedom when she was a glitch, so why should Taffyta? She wasn't allowed to race when she was a glitch, so why should Taffyta? She wasn't allowed to do anything when she was a glitch, so why should Taffyta?

Taffyta had made her life like hell on Earth when she was a glitch. For fifteen years she had put her into her place. Now it was Vanellope's turn to do the same to Taffyta. She couldn't ignore the fact that Taffyta had escaped the Fungeon. She couldn't ignore the fact that she could no-longer make Taffyta suffer unless she re-captured her. Vanellope wouldn't rest until she continued to make Taffyta suffer, no matter how she did it. Even if she didn't need to find Taffyta to do it...she needed to make Taffyta suffer. She needed to let her hatred run loose. She needed to get...her full revenge...

* * *

Taffyta sat down next to a large candy-cane tree, twirling her dirty-blond hair in her fingers. Staying hidden was a boring task. She still couldn't socialize with anybody even though she had broken out of prison. She still couldn't race. It was unfair and annoying, but the risk of her getting re-arrested again was just too high, so she needed to keep a low profile, no matter how boring it was.

Her arm, strangely enough, still hadn't regenerated back to it's normal health, nor the grazes and cuts on her legs and knees. It was rather strange, actually, considering that once a game character would get harmed in it's game, it would immediately regenerate, or take a couple of minutes to regenerate. But this clearly wasn't the case, so Taffyta had kept it in the sling she had made previously.

She missed her home, her kart, her friends. She missed Candlehead, sweet, sweet and innocent Candlehead. She loved her so much, as a best friend, obviously. Even if she didn't show it often. Even if she _never_ really showed how much she cared about Candlehead, especially before the game's rest. She treated her like dirt. Why would Candlehead want to be her friend now-

Suddenly, a loud, happy-go-lucky voice interrupted Taffyta's thoughts, surprising her of who it was, "La, la, la, la, la!" It was Candlehead. Anyone in the Arcade could recognize her voice. It was so...distinct and unique to Candlehead. Silly, bubbly and happy.

Taffyta brought herself up on her feet and ran behind the tree she was leaning on. She couldn't let anyone, especially Candlehead, see her. Candlehead would surely blab about Taffyta and her whereabouts to Vanellope, even if they were _supposedly_ best friends.

"La, la, la! S-U-G-A-R, jump into your racing car! Say Sugar Rush! Sugar Rush!" Candlehead giggled loudly, singing her all-time favorite song; the Sugar Rush theme song. It was catchy, cute and easy to learn. Who wouldn't like that song?

Taffyta inhaled a deep breath of air, trying not to breathe so that Candlehead wouldn't know that she was there. Unfortunately, she wasn't very good at holding her breath for more then ten seconds. Twelve year-old's needed their oxygen, no matter how different they wore.

Candlehead stopped singing and walked over to the tree, wondering who was behind it, as she had heard someone breathing. Curiously, she peeped behind the large trunk and a huge smile broke out on her face, "Taffyta-" She said loudly, only to be shushed by Taffyta.

"Candle!" She put a hand over Candlehead's mouth, worrying that someone may of heard the ditsy, cupcake hatted girl, "Don't shout. Someone might hear you shouting my name."

"Oh, sorry Taffyta," Candlehead looked down at the ground nervously, shifting her eyes, "I didn't mean too. Anyway, you're outta the Fungeon. Was that what Vanellope wanted to tell you? That you were going to be released and stuff..."

"No, Candle," Taffyta shook her head as Candlehead sat down next to her. Candlehead got a little too close for comfort, snuggling up to the dirty-blond girl. Taffyta didn't mind. She liked having Candlehead next to her. Her best friend. Not _supposedly_ best friends. They were best friends. But that was the last thing Taffyta had on her mind, "She didn't release me...I kinda broke out of the castle-"

Candlehead, from hearing such a short and un-descriptive sentence, immediately broke out in a series of loud, consecutive questions,"What?! You broke out?! What happened to your arm?! Does it hurt-"

"Candle, shush!" Taffyta placed a finger on Candlehead's lips, "Yeah, I broke out. I ran through the wall...don't ask how, but I did. I kinda broke my arm, I think anyway, when I crashed on the floor. The weirdest thing is that it hasn't regenerated yet. Don't ask, because I don't know myself."

"Wow, it's seems like you've been through a lot..." Candlehead played with her fingers, innocently looking up at Taffyta, her beautiful green puppy-dog eyes full of sympathy for the girl before her. After a couple of seconds of silence, Candlehead picked up her cheery smile once more and reached into the pocket of her nylon jacket, "I've got somethin' to cheer you up!" After a moment of her hand searching around in her pocket, she pulled out a strawberry lollipop.

Taffyta stared in awe at her friend; she used to love those lollipops. She would always suck on one to make herself look cool. It was a somewhat strange habit, but Taffyta always carried those lollipops with her in case she ever had any cravings for something sweet and to show off, "Candle...you've actually kept them..."

"Um, yeah. Why wouldn't I?" Candlehead kept her large smile on her face as she handed Taffyta the lollipop, "I hope it makes you happy..."

Taffyta took the lollipop from Candlehead and gently placed it into her mouth, savoring the sweet taste she had oh-so longed for. She closed her eyes and sucked on the lollipop, allowing the taste of strawberry to develop and mature in her mouth.

She opened her eyes and looked at Candlehead, almost on the brink of tears, "Oh my god...thank you so much, Candle." She hugged Candlehead tightly, burying her head into Candlehead's short neck.

Candlehead hugged her back, her smile glowing with pride; she loved making people happy, although wasn't quite sure why a lollipop would make Taffyta so happy, "I don't mind. I'm happy you like it. I've only got one, though. That's all I could find in your stuff at your house. I was saving it so that the next time I'd see you in your cell, I'd give it to you. But this is much better then that!"

"Yeah...I know," Taffyta smiled back, before a nervous look began to show on her face, "But you can't stay here. Vanellope...she's probably gone halfway around the kingdom looking for me. If she sees us together, here, she'll probably lock you up too for not saying anything about my whereabouts. She's determined to get her revenge...she's got too caught up in it, and now, I can't even recognize her anymore...it's like she's a different person now..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Candlehead trailed off for a moment, before beginning to speak once more, "But I'm not leaving you, and I don't care if I get locked up as well. You're my best friend, Taffy. And best friend's stick together. So I'm never leaving you," She held Taffyta's hand in her own, "So don't be scared...you shouldn't. But I kinda agree...she is getting caught up in the revenge business. You weren't even the only one who did it. I did it, too! All the racers did it! And it's wasn't even our fault! It was King-"

"No," Taffyta said darkly, crunching on her lollipop in slight anger. She hated it when people would blame King Candy, (or Turbo) even though she knew that deep down, it _was_ his fault. But Taffyta was determined to defend her fatherly figure, "No, it wasn't. He loved me like a daughter...he was my father. I loved him, and he loved me. He didn't...he wouldn't-"

"But he did," Candlehead interrupted, "There's no-one else left to blame. And the sooner you except it...and the sooner you, well I don't know exactly! But, even if he _did_ love you, you have to know he was a big ol' meanie."

Taffyta sighed deeply, leaning back against the tree, "I guess...but I'll never except the fact that he was just a hacker and that he never even existed. You know I'll never except it. Yeah, I'm being stubborn, but we had a relationship that no-one else in the kingdom had. I just wished it could be like that with Vanellope...I hate it that she wants to go so far as to kill me...she might even do it, too, considering that she's practically going insane..."

"Yeah...I know. She needs to think about that. Doesn't she know that hatred can be a painful thing?" Candlehead, was strangely, making a lot of sense. Hatred can be a painful thing...that really made sense. Taffyta didn't know Candlehead actually said some meaningful things sometimes, even Candlehead didn't know that they were meaningful.

"Obviously not..." Taffyta sighed, "We've got to knock some sense into her. She's literally going mad...but, if I show my face to her, she'll arrest us both...what can we do, Candle?! What can we do?!"

"We could always get help from the others. Maybe Jubi could help, I dunno. We could trust her. Maybe Swizzle, he's not to keen on Vanellope. Or maybe Snowanna, she can create awesome distraction songs! I know for sure that _Rancis_ won't help. He has a big crush on Vanellope...what does he see in her, anyway?"

"Um...Candle...I don't think we should go to the others for help. They might...y'know, _blab_ about stuff. I'm not saying your idea isn't good, but I just don't think we should tell the others...especially the fact that Vanellope's on the look for me. Knowing her she'll make it a wanted sign or something. _'One thousand gold coins for anyone who finds Taffyta Muttonfudge!'_"

"Probably. Then what can we do then? I'm all outta' ideas...hey, who was that guy that Vanellope hangs out with? The one who's nine feet tall and stuff? Isn't his name like Rafe or Rudolph or Rowley or something? Y'know..._that_ guy..."

"I know who you mean; Ralph. That guy who saved our game. Yeah, maybe he can help. He's probably the only one that's not aware of what Vanellope's doing. But I don't think he'd be too pleased about it all, though. He looks like he's got pretty bad anger problems, and he might just make the situation worse..."

Candlehead shrugged, "We've gotta try somethin'...we might as well try Ralph. He's kinda the only choice we have, unless we want to be in the Fungeon for fifteen or fifty years. I know I don't, and I'm sure you don't wanna go back to that really bad place again. It's horrible in there..."

Taffyta nodded her head, "I guess...we could try him, then. But if he ends up making things worse, I'm holding you personally responsible, you know!" Of course, this was only teasing. Taffyta would never, (not now, anyway), put the blame on someone as close to her as Candlehead. She may of done it before Sugar Rush's rest, because she was a worse person back then. She would admit that about her. But Taffyta had grown as a person since then, and she wasn't so obnoxious and immature as back then, either.

Candlehead stood up, jumping as she went, all while trying to contain her consistent giggles, "C'mon, Taff! Let's go then!" She held out a hand for Taffyta to grab, which Taffyta did. Candlehead pulled her friend up onto her feet and began to walk out of the candy-cane forest, keeping a low profile as they went.

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**A/N: OK...nothing else here apart from review! This kinda took a while to write, considering I'm back at school now and everything after the Christmas Holidays. But I made sure to update in the three-day span that I started out with and what I'm going to continue with now following on with my other stories in the future. So yeah :-)**


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